When it comes to reading, a little help from a friend can go a long way. Beanstack’s Friends and Leaderboards feature isn’t just about sparking friendly competition—it’s about creating a thriving community where students motivate each other, discover new books, and deepen their engagement with reading. Schools that activate these features see students log more minutes, leave more reviews, and complete more activities.
Let’s dive into how these exciting updates can transform your school’s reading culture and supercharge engagement.
Friendship Factor: Reading With Role Models
Friendship is a powerful motivator, especially in reading. Students with friends on Beanstack log five times as many minutes as those without friends and average an additional 58 minutes of reading during a month-long challenge. That’s almost an hour more of independent reading simply because they’re connected to peers who inspire them.
We’ve taken these connections to the next level. Students and teachers can become friends and compete in reading challenges together. Picture a teacher creating a challenge where students try to outread them each week. This dynamic makes reading more exciting and reinforces positive habits by modeling how to log minutes and stay engaged with Beanstack.
The result? Students are encouraged to explore new books, leave more reviews (55% more, in fact), and complete nearly 50% more activities. It’s a ripple effect of encouragement and engagement that starts with connection.
Competitive Edge: Grade and School Leaderboards
Beanstack’s leaderboards transform reading into an exciting, collaborative competition that motivates students to read more. By gamifying reading challenges, these leaderboards inspire friendly rivalry while fostering a sense of achievement and community.
Grade leaderboards allow students to see how their grade ranks within the school based on books read or minutes logged. A “(You)” marker makes it easy for each student to track their personal contribution and progress. Students can also toggle between weekly stats and the past 30 days, offering flexibility and a fresh view of their accomplishments.
School leaderboards elevate the competition by comparing schools across the district. This feature builds school pride and encourages students to rally behind their community, reading more to boost their school’s standing.
The impact is undeniable: sites with leaderboards see a 37% higher active logging rate. Whether highlighting individual success or collective grade achievements, leaderboards turn every book read into a step toward victory, making reading more engaging and rewarding.
Peer Reviews: Sharing the Love of Books
One of the hidden superpowers of Friends and Leaderboards is their impact on book discovery. When students leave reviews, their friends take notice, often exploring titles they might not have considered otherwise. This organic sharing broadens students’ horizons and excites them to pick up the next book. It’s a cycle of inspiration that starts with a single shared story.
Privacy and Safety: How Friends Work in Beanstack
We understand that privacy is paramount. Here’s how Beanstack ensures a secure and controlled experience:
- Privacy Notice: Readers must confirm a privacy notice before adding friends.
- Controlled Friend Requests: Students and staff can send friend requests exclusively to members of their school community
- Manage Requests: Readers can accept, decline, or cancel friend requests anytime.
By providing these safeguards, Beanstack ensures that connecting with friends is safe and fun.
Bring the Fun to Reading Challenges!
Friends and Leaderboards are just the beginning! Discover how Beanstack’s full suite of gamification features can motivate your readers, from badges and streaks to exciting rewards and activities. Ready to make reading even more engaging? Let’s get started!